


Out in the Open

by Are_you_ever_not_going_to_fall_for_that



Series: The Arrangement [11]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anger, Avengers Tower, Conflict, Drama, M/M, Secret revealed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 17:47:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4147077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Are_you_ever_not_going_to_fall_for_that/pseuds/Are_you_ever_not_going_to_fall_for_that
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony tells everyone. Part of The Arrangement series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out in the Open

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Avengers.
> 
> Sorry, that it's taken so long for me to post this part. I blame it on the fact that this chapter was very difficult for me to write, plus other various ones I won't bore you with.

"I'll give you two hours before I tell them myself," Thor's warning rumbled through Tony’s head. It was the last thing Thor had said before leaving. Two hours. Tony had two hours to figure out how to tell his friends about Loki. That wasn't enough time, not by a long shot. He had no idea what he could possibly say to make them understand, and he only had thirty minutes left until Thor’s time limit was up.

Tony exhaled a deep breath and palmed his face. He hadn’t changed his mind about Loki, but he still had no idea how in the world he was going to get his friends to understand his decision, especially when he hardly understood it himself. He exhaled again and shook his head. Things were much simpler back before Loki, but even though knowing what was coming, he still didn’t want to give Loki up.

* * *

  
  
His time was up and he had only come up with a loose idea on how to proceed. Regardless, Tony called all the Avengers together onto the main floor of the tower. The room they were had several couches and the Avengers, minus himself and Thor, were sitting down on them. Thor was standing against the wall behind Tony with his arms folded, looking at him with those frightening big brother eyes that were silently threatening him. Scary. Very scary.  
  
The others were looking at him expectantly, unsure of why they had been called, as Steve usually called meetings, not Tony.  Everyone was in their plain clothes that they wore around the tower, but that did not make any of them less intimidating to look at.   
  
Tony checked his bracelets that he put on under his long sleeved button up shirt. If the entire team decided to attack him after his announcement he would be protected. The brunette brought his hands together, stepped forward and saw all eyes zero in on him. He never really had stage fright, but he was suddenly very nervous with all the attention on him. The billionaire cleared his throat nervously as he saw the four Avenger’s eyes who were sitting on the couches  narrow at him.   
  
"So, uh, how's everyone doing today?"

Nobody spoke, they just continued staring at him.   
  
“Does anyone have anything they want to say?” Tony asked, trying unsuccessfully to put off having this conversation for just a few moments more. When his attempt didn't work, the genius took a deep breath. There was really no use in beating around the bush, plus he couldn't think of words to say to beat around the bush.   
  
“Just me then?” Tony said mostly to himself. He put his hands behind his back and tried to not look as scared as he was. "So... I'm sleeping with Loki.” He saw many an eye narrow and he hurried on to open the silver container that he had purposely placed off to the side.   
  
“So, ice cream bar anyone?” Tony said with a smile that was too large to be genuine. There were several different flavors with several different mixins. The billionaire had ordered it and had it delivered about five minutes ago.

Clint, of course, was the first one to speak and by speak he meant shout at the top of his lungs.

“What?!” He stood up from the couch “You're sleeping with Loki! The psycho?!” Clint was practically radiating anger and Tony honestly didn’t blame him for being angry. Loki had done awful things to him, it was part of the reason that Tony hadn’t wanted to remember for so long. Clint was his friend, and he knew that Clint would be angry about this.   
  
“You can't honestly think you can drop this on us and then bribe us with ice cream?” This comment came from Steve, who gestured angrily to the ice cream bar.   
  
“Not just ice cream, an ice cream bar,” Tony said, gesturing to all the varieties of ice cream. “You got your chocolate mint, your cookie dough, your rocky road and your s’more-”   
  
“You can't bribe us,” Clint interrupted with a snarl. “You’re sleeping with the guy who made me kill other agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., who led the invasion, who ending up nearly killing us all. You can’t bribe us with ice cream!”  He ended screaming the last part, his face red with anger, and his breath shortening.   
  
“You’re right,” Tony said quietly. “I’m not saying that Loki didn’t do those things. I am not claiming that he is a good guy, but I care about him.”

Clint shook his head. This time, along with the anger Tony saw hurt briefly flash across his face, Clint left the room.   
  
The brunette exhaled loudly. Tony didn’t want to lose Clint, and he had tried and would keep trying to get him to understand, but Tony had no idea if he would succeed. It wasn’t starting out so good. He still had three more people to try to convince, though. Natasha’s face, as always, was impossible to decipher. Steve’s and Bruce’s were less difficult to understand; Steve was angry, and Bruce’s didn’t look pleased, either.   
  
“He killed people,” Steve stated.   
  
“Look, I know you probably don’t understand this,” Tony spoke, deciding to be honest. “I don’t really understand this either, but I really do care for Loki.”   
  
“But he’s- and your,” Steve said, gesturing at Tony and looking angry and at the same time grossed out. Steve shook his head, but rather than shouting he just said. “He’s a murderer,” Steve settled on. “He brought aliens here and attacked this city. How could you….” he abruptly cut himself off then gritted his teeth for a long moment “You know I think I’m going to do what my mom told me to do. If I don’t have anything nice to say I shouldn’t say anything at all.”  

He said, then left the room too.   
  
Fantastic, that was how it was going. Fantastic. Two of his teammates had already walked out on him, and Tony only had three left. Natasha's expression was still impossible to decipher.  Bruce was now staring intently at the floor like it held the answers to the universe. The genius looked at the spot and didn’t see anything, not even a forty- two on it, so he moved his glance to Thor. The blonde surprisingly didn’t look happy at the fact that the billionaire was getting so thoroughly thrashed by his friends.   
  
Natasha was suddenly in front of him, and Tony backpedaled as he hadn't heard her move. Damn her and her ninja feet. There were only inches between the two of them and that was after he had stepped back as she had eaten up a good part of the distance.   
  
“Look-” Tony started, putting his hands up, but Natasha cut him off.   
  
“You two make a cute couple.” She said with a small smile, and Tony stared at her for a long moment. Was Natasha actually supportive? Could it be that someone? Anyone? Wouldn’t have a huge problem with his being his being with Loki?    
  
“Really?” Tony asked hopefully.  
  
“No.” Her smile was gone and Tony felt the little hope that had managed to build inside him die abruptly. “You know how much Clint means to me.” Tony did he know Natasha’s and Clint’s  history. “If Loki had brainwashed anyone else,” She said with a shake of her fiery red locks. “I might have been able to overlook this... but Loki took Clint and I can’t.” She said and then walked away from him as well.    
  
Tony looked down at the ground. Three. Three teammates had just walked out on him. Three friends had just left him. He took several deep breaths trying to reign in his emotions before they got the better of him. After all, he still had two friends in the room and he had yet to hear anything from Bruce. The scientist was still looking at the same spot on the floor and seemed to be thinking hard. An unpleasant silence filled the air between them when normally the silence between the two genius was very companionable. The two understood each other, or at least Tony had always thought that the two had understood each other. Out of everyone in the Tower, Bruce’s loss, if Tony did, in fact, lose him, would be the hardest to get over.  
   
It took a few minutes, a few incredibly excruciating minutes before Bruce looked away from his favored spot on the floor and actually looked up at Tony. The moment of eye contact was brief as Bruce looked back down again finding a new spot on the floor to examine. Bruce covered his mouth partially with his fist, his other arm propping up the first. He looked up again but kept his arms where they were.   
  
“I don’t understand this.” It was, so far, the least violent reaction out of all of the Avengers. Then again, it took a lot for Bruce to show his anger, probably because he had to reign in the Hulk.   
  
“I don’t understand either,” Tony said honestly, and he didn’t. None of this made sense in his head, only in the stupid muscle that he called a heart.   
  
“Loki, he threw you out of a window,” Bruce said turning to look at the wall, which before the Avengers tower had been remodeled, was approximately where Loki had done the act that Bruce was talking about. Loki had done so, in an trying to kill Tony after the raven-haired god's attempt to control him had failed due to the Arc reactor in his chest.    
  
“I know, I didn’t forget that.” At Bruce’s slightly puzzled look, Tony quickly said, “Never mind,” before Thor could think about what he had said too much. Tony continued, “I know exactly what Loki’s done and I’m not saying that what he’s done doesn’t matter, but… I care about him.” Bruce still looked puzzled, and Tony didn’t really blame him. He doubted if their positions were switched that he would understand either. An unwanted image of Loki and Bruce kissing cropped up in his head which he immediately pushed away.   
  
“You can’t have expected anyone to be happy,” Bruce said.   
  
“Did I think that I was going to get congrats? No. Did I think me and Natasha were going to chat about how terrible dating men was? Also a big no." Tony said. Not to mention that at the moment they technically weren’t dating. "Did I think that Clint wasn’t going to say pretty much what he said? A big fat no. I’m not very surprised how things turned out.” It was true. Tony wasn’t surprised, but it hurt having his suspicions proved right, although expecting more than this would have crushed him even more.

Bruce turned his gaze down to the carpet again for a long moment. Tony let him do so without saying anything, letting Bruce take as long as he wanted to, hoping that if he did so than Bruce wouldn’t also walk out. Bruce bit his lip and his eyebrows furrowed with concentration.   
  
“You really care for him?” Bruce asked and Tony nodded. “Even though...?” Bruce asked and Tony nodded again.   
  
“Even though,” Tony affirmed. Bruce nodded and looked back up at him.   
  
“I guess I shouldn't be surprised.” He said with a little half smile. “I mean you’re always willing to look past stuff that others won’t. I mean you befriended me-”   
  
“Hey, I don’t want to hear it,” Tony said. Bruce would often talk about all the people he’s killed, not listening when anyone else told him that it was the Hulk. Bruce smiled a little more widely.   
  
“Even if you won’t admit it, at least never in an non-sarcastic way, you can see things in other people. I just never thought before now that it would extend to Loki.” Bruce looked behind Tony and said, “Sorry Thor.”

Tony blinked as he had forgotten Thor was there, for he had remained silent throughout all of this. Tony couldn't hear Thor’s response, so it must have been nonverbal or he didn’t respond at all.   
  
“Look,” Bruce said with a shrug. “I don’t know Loki besides all the stuff he did here, but there must be something more to him if you care for him. I can’t say that we’re ever going to be buddies and I can’t speak for the other guy, but for the moment I’m willing to give him a chance to prove that he is something more than what everyone thinks he is.” Bruce said and made his way out of the room as well, leaving Tony and his lover’s brother alone, together. Fun.

Tony turned to face Thor who was looking contemplative. “You were uncharacteristically silent,” Tony accused then blanched. He was still quite scared of Thor trying to pulverize him. Thankfully his comment did not seem to enrage the muscular blonde.   
  
“I have not heard someone speak so blatantly of their affection for Loki in some time,” Thor said frowning thoughtfully.   
  
“Yeah, well, Loki doesn’t tend to make it easy,” Tony admitted. Loki’s emotional force field came to mind and his refusal to speak about most emotional things. There was also the fact that Tony had tried to make their relationship more meaningful and the raven haired being had run away from it.   
  
“He’s been so different ever since he learned of his adoption,” Thor said sadly and Tony’s ears perked. Yes, he had known of Loki’s adoption. It was one of the first things he had learned when Thor had come and started telling them about his brother, but he hadn’t heard much more about it.   
  
“Exactly what was so traumatic about his adoption?”

Thor’s frown deepened. “Did he not tell you?”

Tony’s heartbeat sped up as he realized that he had just revealed that he and Loki were not that close yet. “He’s a hard nut to crack,” Tony finally admitted.

Thor nodded and looked contemplative again. “Aye, he is. I spent the last few years trying to understand him and I’m still no closer.”   
  
“You think you could lend me a hand?” Tony asked because he was pretty sure Loki’s adoption had a big part of why he had a force field around him that made him reluctant to let their relationship be more than sex, to be something more. Thor bit his lip and paced up the floor for a few moments before slowly turning around. The genius really hoped that Thor would answer, would give him insight into the raven-haired mystery that was his lover.   
  
“No. Loki would never forgive me if I told you. I don’t know if there’s much hope for us ever being brothers again, but there would be no hope if I told you.” Tony nodded. He had kind of expected that answer, but he had been hoping otherwise. That had happened a lot today.   
  
“He can be very difficult.” Thor smiled slightly bitterly. “But I suppose that by now you know that.”

Tony smiled slightly. He may not know everything about Loki, but he did know that.  He was kind of surprised that not long after Thor had threatened him, he was there talking to him like he hadn’t just done so. The genius was not stupid enough to say his thoughts aloud, though and waited for Thor to talk first.

“I think that Loki needs someone like you,” Thor said with a hopeful smile. “Someone who sees him as more than… well, what most see.”

Tony agreed, he doubted few people saw him as anything but a villain.    
  
“Speaking of this, isn’t S.H.I.E.L.D going to have a problem with you dating Loki?”

Dating? Tony made sure not to laugh because that would be admitting to Loki’s big burly brother that he and Loki weren’t dating. Thor didn’t seem to be the kind of brother who would take that well.   
  
“Yeah,” Tony answered, waving his hand like it was a minor annoyance. “But I pretty much own S.H.I.E.L.D. All I have to do is threaten to cut them off financially and they’ll fall in line.” Tony shrugged. “I mean after the hours of interrogations where they try to find out what I know about Loki, in case he tries something else, and the testing to make sure that I am not under some sort of magical influence. In the end, they will simply lose all respect for me.” Tony said like none of that mattered, even though it did. “Clint and Natasha have probably filled in S.H.I.E.L.D by now, so I’ll probably be picked up by them in an hour or so.” To say that Tony was not looking forward to the whole ordeal was a massive understatement.   
  
“I’m sorry that you suffer so much tribulation for your affection for my brother,” Thor said solemnly. Tony nodded appreciating and knowing that Thor was the only one who had any idea of how he felt. Thor's eyes were serious again. “I will not tolerate more pain for my brother,” Thor promised and Tony nodded quickly, suddenly wary again.

However, the next moment the fire went out of his eyes and Thor said. “Before S.H.I.E.L.D comes, we should have ice cream. The others didn’t seem to want any.”

**T** ony blinked. He had completely forgotten about the ice cream bar he had bought. The blonde made his way over the ice cream bar. The billionaire wasn’t exactly feeling very hungry, but he watched as Thor got a bowl and started piling it up with different flavors and mix-ins.  
  
It had not gone well. It had not gone well at all. Four of his friends had walked out on him. But there was some hope. Bruce was giving it a chance and Thor, when not being Loki’s scary big brother, was the only one who cared about Loki as much as he did. Granted, he hadn’t gone through S.H.I.E.L.D's interrogation yet, but so far it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. There was some hope.  
  
“Hey, would you get me some s’more while you’re up?” He asked the blonde who nodded, grabbing him a bowl to do just that.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how many more of these I'm going to do, if I do do more. Let me know though what you thought of this and if you would like me to keep on going.


End file.
